Combined projector and signaling lamp



Sept. 12, 1933. J. AVATO COMBINED PROJECTOR AND SIGNALING LAMP Filed Sept, 18, 1931 INVENTOR JOH/V A? 70 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,926,992 COMBINED PROJECTOR AND SIGNALING LAlVIP John Avato, Englewood, N. J.

Application September 18, 1931 Serial No. 563,537

3 Claims. (01. 2 10-71) This invention relates to improvements in com- Fig. 4-. is a view in front elevation of the device bined projector and signaling lamp. shown in Fig. 1;

Objects of my invention are to provide a lamp Fig. is a diagrammatic view of a circuit suitsuitable for mounting on the rear end of an able for electrically actuating my said lamp.

0 automobile and functioning to project a beam of Referring now to this drawing which illus- 60 light to the rear of the automobile in order to trates a preferred embodiment of my invention, enable the driver to see the path in which he is 1 indicates the body of an automobile, 2 the rear backing up; also to function as a signaling light end thereof, and 3 a lamp embodying my invenwhich will first operate automatically by electric tion which, as shown, is mounted at one side at connection with the braking pedal to indicate the rear of the automobile and is preferably piv- 65 that the vehicle is about to stop; secondly, will otally mounted on a bracket 4 which may be fasproject a beam of light showing the word stop tened to the chassis of the car, the lamp 3 being downwardly upon the roadway, and thirdly, will provided with pivot elements 3' and 2% which are automatically by mechanical connection with the pivotally mounted in bracket 4 to permit the lamp steering mechanism throw the beam of light in to swing pivotally in said bracket. The lamp is 70 the direction the driver is backing and will also preferably provided with a rounded rear body indicate to drivers or other persons in the rear portion 6, the interior of which is provided with the direction in which the car is about to turn; a suitable reflecting surface 6 and has projectto provide a lamp having a lens arranged in a ing into the body of the lamp from a point near downwardly-inclined position to project a beam the top of the lamp a socket 7, in which is mountof light to the roadway at an angle inclined ed a bulb 8. Said lamp 3 is, as shown, provided downwardly to the rear of the car and thus to with a front and forwardly projecting hood light up the area adjacent to the rear of the car portion 9 which is substantially triangular in and to prevent the projection of the beam of light cross-section and is provided with a glass lens above a horizontal plane intersecting the te 10 which is substantially shield shaped in confor- Of the Said p; to p v a m chan ca ymation, and is mounted in an inclined position actuated mechanism operated by the movement in a lens frame 10, hinged at 10 to a fiat top of the steering mechanism of the car for me portion 9 of the hood 9 of the lamp. The lOWer chemically moving the p and an indicating edge is provided with a fastening element 10 element Carried thereby a a a 0f h cal which co-operates with a similar fastening eleto indicate the direction in which the steering ment 9 on the lower edge of the lamp body. The me ha ism iS Set to m t to utilize a lens-frame is fastened to the body of the lamp movable lamp of the character specified for by a pin 10. The joint 11 between the lens illuminating and carrying to variable indicating frame 10' and the hood body 9 may be made wa- 35 positions a direction-indicating element and to ten-tight in any suitable manner to prevent the provide a lamp which will serve as a beam proentrance of rain,

J' C I 1 Sp t for hacking, a p Signaling The top portion 9 of the hood 9 has, as shown, device, and a direction indicator capable of illumounted th e n substantially triangular mination in the dark. ing 12, which communicates at 12 with the 40 With th se and her objects in view. the inbody of the lamp and is provided with forwardvention comprises the combination of members 1y converging opposite sides 12 and 12 each of and arrangement of Parts 50 mb as to which is provided with a translucent arrow, 13. act and co-operate With each other ll). the per- The lens of the lamp is also preferably proformanee O e u c i s d the aeeemplishvided with an indication comprising the word,

ment of the results herein contemplated, and stop and as illustrated, this word is arranged 100 comprises in One Of its adeptiehs the Species on the lamp in inverse relationship so that when preferred form illustrated in the mpanyin a light-beam is projected on the roadway the d in w word stop in readable position will appear in Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of an automothe beam of light projected.

b Showing my Combined b cki a d ignal g In accordance with the preferred form of my 5 p mounted at the rear thereof d S w g invention, the lamp 3 is electrically connected in the mechanical connection to the wheel; the conventional manner with the braking pedal Fig. 2 is a top view of the lamp shown in Fig. l; 15, to the end that the lamp will be automatically Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 illuminated when the brake pedal is depressed looking in the direction of the arrow; and will be automatically extinguished when the brake pedal is released. Said lamp also preferably has electrical connection for automatic operation by the control lever 16, the contact member 17 being so arranged that when said lever 16 is thrown into reverse, electrical connection will be made and the light will be lit and when said lever is moved into any other position, no electric connection will be effected. As illustrated, the lamp circuit is provided with a lead 18 which is grounded at 19. The circuit to the control lever 16 extends through the opposite leg of the circuit by means of the lead 20 to the lever 16, thence through the contact member 17, lead 21 to the battery 22 and the ground 23. The opposite leg of the circuit from the lamp to the pedal 15 extends through the lead 20, lead 24, pedal 15, contact member 15, lead 25 to the battery 22 and the ground 23. It will be understood, however, that any suitable conventional electrical connections may be made for the pur pose hereinabove specified.

The lamp 3 is mechanically connected with the steering mechanism of the car, preferably with the steering wheel 26. This connection may be made in any suitable conventional manner now employed for operating spot lights located at the front of a car, it being understood, however, that in applicants case the conventional connections will be reversed so as to cause the lamp 3 at the rear to be pointed in the proper direction, to indicate intended movement. As illustrated, I make this mechanical connection by means of a reciprocating rod 27 having a rocking connection at 28 with the shaft 26' of the steering wheel 26. The rod 27 which is reciprocated as aforesaid by the shaft 26 of the wheel 26 in turn rocks a crank arm 28 about a pivot rod 29, suitably fastened to the horn 5 of the car. It will be understood, however, that one end 28' of the crank 28 will be connected with the bracket 3 fastened to the lamp 3.

In operation, the lamp will be lighted as a stop signal whenever the braking pedal is depressed lever is put into reverse to back the car, the lamp will be lighted and when the car is steered to one side or the other, or in a straight line, the light beam will be automatically moved into the path in which the car is being backed. The beam will going forward or backward, it being understood that electrical connection will also be made with the steering mechanism in the same conventional manner as spot lights at the front of an automobile are now operated.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely dif ferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof; it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, I claim:-

1. A combined projector and signaling lamp embodying a pivot member, a lamp body mounted on said pivot member and having a lens and electrical means operable simultaneously with said lamp-swinging mechanism for automatically lighting and extinguishing said lamp in varying positions of the control mechanism of the car.

2. A combined backing and signaling lamp embodying a pivot member, a lamp body mounted and having a lens mounted in downwardly inclined position to project a beam of light rearwardly and downwardly from said lamp, lamp-swinging mechanism and operable to move the lamp in the direction in which the car is being steered, an electric circuit, electrical means operable simultaneously with said lampswinging mechanism for automatically lighting and extinguishing said lamp in varying positions of the control mechanism of the car, and a signaling device mounted on said lamp for indicating the direction in which the car is to be moved.

3. A combined projector and signaling lamp embodying a pivot member, a lamp body mounted on said pivot member and having a lens mounted in downwardly inclined position to project a beam of light rearwardly and downwardly from said lamp, lamp-swinging mechanism and operable to move the lamp in the direction in which the car is being steered, an electric circuit, electrical means operable simultaneously with said lampswinging mechanism for automatically lighting and extinguishing said lamp in varying positions of the control mechanism of the car, and means on the lens for projecting a direction indication on the roadway.

JOHN AVATO. 

